Flagler College will be raising money for student scholarships and financial aid on Tuesday, May 9, as part of its annual “Giving Day” campaign. This year’s goal is $25,000 — the lead gift amount the college’s Board of Trustees will be donating, and the amount the Board challenges alumni, donors and friends to match, in honor of retiring President William T. Abare, Jr.
“Alumni participation is important at Flagler College, and Giving Day offers the perfect opportunity for alumni to show their Flagler pride and give back to their alma mater,” said Dr. Beverly Carmichael, the college’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “This year, gifts will also recognize President Bill Abare for his 46 years of service and his 16 years as president. Giving is a fitting way to recognize and thank him.”
The campaign will specifically raise funds for “Flagler Fund – Academic Programming,” which directly benefits students and helps to create an exceptional experience for them in the classroom.
Providing quality education while keeping Flagler affordable is one of the institution’s top priorities. Ninety percent of students rely on some form of financial aid. To meet this need, the college has increased funding for need-based Flagler grants by nearly $700,000 in the last six years. Fundraising efforts have contributed to the increase in funding: More than 1,000 students receive financial aid through the Flagler Fund each year.
“Every gift counts, and all alumni and donors can make a difference,” Carmichael said.
All friends and supporters — not just alumni of the college — can contribute on Giving Day. People can make a gift to the Flagler Fund by donating to www.flagler.edu/abare, calling 904-819-6437 or by mailing a check to Flagler College, Attn: Office of Institutional Advancement, 74 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084.
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Gov. Scott Appoints Bridgette Bello to District Board of Trustees, St. Petersburg College
Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Bridgette Bello to the District Board of Trustees, St. Petersburg College.
Bello, 46, of Seminole, is the president of the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and is appointed to fill a vacant seat for a term beginning April 24, 2017 and ending May 31, 2019.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Governor Scott Meets With Argentine President Mauricio Macri
Governor Rick Scott met today with Argentine President Mauricio Macri to discuss increased trade and business opportunities between Argentina and Florida. This is the first trade mission by any governor from the United States under Macri’s Administration.
Governor Scott said, “It was a true honor to meet with President Macri today to discuss the strong partnership between Florida and Argentina and the opportunities to grow business and trade investments between our two homes. President Macri is already working hard to create robust economic opportunities for his country and I look forward to continuing to work with him as we fight to make Florida a global leader in job creation.”
ICYMI: WESH: Gov. Scott requests $100 Million for VISIT FLORIDA
“Gov. Scott requests $100 Million for VISIT FLORIDA”
WESH-ORD (NBC) – Orlando, FL
April 18, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
FWC making it easier, more rewarding to remove pythons
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is launching new programs to encourage people to help remove nonnative Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem and surrounding area. Two new programs and a new Executive Order will provide people with incentives and expanded opportunities to remove these invasive constrictors.
The Python Pickup Program is a new program designed to encourage the public to remove and report wild Burmese pythons by rewarding participants with valuable prizes. Starting now, anyone can participate in this innovative new program. People who remove pythons simply need to submit photographic evidence of the snake as well as the location from which it was removed. Anyone who submits this information will receive a free Python Pickup T-shirt for submitting their first entry. For every submission received, participants will be entered into a monthly prize drawing as well as a grand prize drawing to be held next year. Monthly prizes include snake hooks, custom engraved Yeti tumblers, Plano sportsman’s trunks, GoPro cameras and Badlands backpacks. The grand prize is a Florida Lifetime Sportsman’s License. The first drawing will take place in May 2017.
As part of the Python Pickup, people can submit pythons removed from any property in Florida where they have authorization to do so from the property owner or land manager.
A recent Executive Order allows people to remove pythons year-round from 22 public lands with no hunting license or wildlife management area permit required.
“We know many Florida residents and visitors want to help tackle this tough conservation challenge by going after pythons in the wild and removing any they can find,” said FWC Executive Director, Nick Wiley. “We want to continue to encourage and support this important citizen conservation effort. This Executive Order clarifies regulatory questions and makes it easier than ever for people to remove Burmese pythons from the wild.”
Earlier this month, the FWC also launched a Python Contractor Program which pays participants for efforts to remove Burmese pythons from the wild. The FWC selected 22 contractors already experienced with capturing wild Burmese pythons. Contractors are paid an hourly wage for their efforts to remove Burmese pythons. The FWC will also pay contractors for each snake removed. The program is similar to one recently implemented by the South Florida Water Management District.
People interested in training on how to identify and safely remove pythons can take part in a Python Patrol Training. For more information, go to MyFWC.com/Python and click on “Python Patrol.”
The FWC will continue to work with the public and partners to explore other projects aimed at removing pythons and other nonnative species in Florida.
People can also help with efforts to manage Burmese pythons and other nonnative species by reporting sightings to the FWC’s Exotic Species Reporting Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681), online at IveGot1.org, or by downloading the free “IveGot1” smartphone app.
For more information on Burmese pythons in Florida and the various management programs, visit MyFWC.com/Python.
CRC Announces Public Hearing at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers
MEDIA ADVISORY
The Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) invites all interested Floridians to participate in a public hearing at Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers on Wednesday, May 10 beginning at 5:00 PM.
Members of the media wishing to attend are asked to bring their press credentials. The event will also be live-streamed by The Florida Channel on www.TheFloridaChannel.org.
WHAT: Public hearing of the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC)
WHEN: Wednesday, May 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
*End time is tentative depending upon attendance and public interest in speaking before the CRC. All Floridians wishing to speak before the CRC will be given an opportunity to be heard.
WHERE: LEE COUNTY
Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW)
Suncoast Credit Union Arena
13351 FSW Parkway
Fort Myers, Fla. 33919
GOOGLE MAP LINK: https://goo.gl/maps/Fpsu3tbhL8M2
Individuals requiring an accommodation to participate in this public hearing (such as a sign language interpreter) are requested to notify the Constitution Revision Commission five days prior to the scheduled meeting date at [email protected] or 850.717.9550.
Two Seminole State honors students named 2017 Jack Kent Cooke Scholars
The Seminole State College of Florida Jack Kent Cooke winners.
(L-R). Gustavo Diaz Galeas and Cathryn “Cate” Kandle.
Seminole State students shine again! For the third consecutive year, multiple honors students at Seminole State College of Florida were named winners of one of the nation’s most prestigious and lucrative scholarships.
Gustavo Diaz Galeas and Cathryn “Cate” Kandle were awarded the Jack Kent Cooke (JKC) Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship – worth up to $40,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university and up to $50,000 a year to pursue graduate studies. Diaz Galeas and Kandle were among 55 scholars selected this year to receive the award nationwide.
Kandle began attending Seminole State as a homeschooled, Dual Enrollment student and is majoring in biology. She hopes to transfer to Cornell University in the fall. She will continue her education as a biology major with a focus on sustainability. Kandle works as a student tutor in Seminole State’s Academic Success Center.
“It feels unbelievable,” says Kandle. “The Jack Kent Cooke scholarship has opened up my options so that I can go where I want.”
Diaz Galeas is studying computer engineering. He hopes to attend MIT in the fall. Diaz Galeas is the programming director in the STEM Student Club and also serves as an embedded tutor for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant program and for the Academic Success Center.
“Because I am an international student, trying to find financial resources is really hard,” says Diaz Galeas. “The very fact that I got this scholarship means that I don’t have to worry about taking out loans, and I don’t have to worry about working. I can focus fully on my studies.”
Both Kandle and Diaz Galeas will miss the sense of community and the support from faculty and the Grindle Honors Institute that are found at Seminole State.
“I have felt like around every turn at Seminole State, someone has had my back,” says Kandle. “I never felt like I am in this alone. There are people who are always willing to help me and extend their hands to me.”
All of the JKC winners show financial need and strong records of academic achievement as indicated by grades, leadership skill, awards, extraordinary service to others and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Since 2006, Seminole State has produced a total of 17 JKC scholars, including a national record-tying four scholarship recipients in 2015. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation says its Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is to community college graduates what the Rhodes Scholarship is to overseas study.
JKC Scholarships fund the costs of attending college not covered by other financial aid, plus academic advising, stipends for internships, study abroad and opportunities to network with other JKC scholars and alumni.
The Grindle Honors Institute offers enrichment programs for academically talented students wishing to enhance their experience at Seminole State. For more information, visit the Honors Institute website, or call 407.708.2062.
UNF Honoring Students’ Exceptional Service at Spring Commencement
The University of North Florida will honor two students with outstanding records of volunteerism and caring spirits, when it hands out more than 1,620 degrees Friday, April 28, during spring commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
Senior Brianna Ballard, who is graduating this week with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, while, Sarah Rosen, a senior graduating with a degree in international studies, will be recognized as the recipient of the Albert D. Ernest Jr. Caring Award.
The UNF Alumni Association presents the Senior Service Award to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community. The Caring Award recognizes students who demonstrate the spirit of caring, humanitarianism and volunteerism exemplified by Albert Ernest. Ballard will be honored during the 9 a.m. ceremony, while Rosen will be honored at the noon ceremony.
As an incoming freshman new to Jacksonville, Ballard, an Orlando native, immediately sought out volunteer opportunities as a way to become familiar with the campus and community. She began volunteering with the On-Campus Transition mentoring program, a program designed for UNF student-peers to help other students with developmental disabilities become acclimated to campus and feel a part of a community. She also participated in a Transformational Learning Opportunity study-abroad class to Peru, which opened her eyes to food insecurity and hunger present in our community, inspiring her to move forward with a major in nutrition.
Finding inspiration from her study-abroad experiences, Ballard created a food recovery program on the UNF campus and is the co-president/founder of the student-led organization, Food Fighters. The organization works with UNF Dining Services to recover and repackage food, providing meals and education to Northeast Florida Aids Network clients. The Food Fighters are not only successfully feeding the hungry and reducing food waste but are also teaching UNF students about food safety, nutrition education and leadership skills. The group’s work has also helped the University to build a bridge with local nonprofits.
Additionally, Ballard has served as the president of the UNF Healthy Osprey Club, a spin instructor at the campus Student Wellness Complex, a frequent volunteer at local gardens and food pantries as well as the St. Vincent’s Bariatrics Services Department. These opportunities have allowed her to share her passion for healthy living and inspire fellow students and others in Northeast Florida.
Rosen, a native of Boca Raton, spent a year abroad after high school volunteering in Tanzania and Costa Rica. She is the new Volunteer Services coordinator on campus, stressing to students the importance of volunteerism as well as creating hands-on opportunities. Rosen is a Refugee Friendship Volunteer with World Relief Jacksonville, assisting new immigrant families as well as volunteering with Hubbard House, Habitat for Humanity, UNF’s Interfaith Center and Model United Nations chapter.
She founded the Osprey Volunteer Club and stays active in the organization. In the summer of 2015, she biked across the Unites States with others and raised $8,000 for grants towards affordable housing. Last fall, Rosen ran in the Philadelphia Marathon, raising funds for the non-profit organization Girl Up, which supports females in developing countries.
This semester, Rosen was an Interfaith Center student assistant, where she worked advancing the mission of the Center to establish pluralism on campus, in the community and beyond through interfaith events and dialogue. She will continue her journey at Columbia University pursuing a master’s in social work, with a focus in social policy.
The ceremony for the College of Education and Human Services as well as the Brooks College of Health begins at 9 a.m. The College of Arts and Sciences (art, biology, chemistry, economics, English, fine arts, French studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, international studies, math, music, philosophy, physics, practical philosophy and applied ethics, religious studies, Spanish and statistics) and the Coggin College of Business begin at 12:30 p.m., while the ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences (anthropology, communication, criminal justice, political sciences, public administration, psychology, social work and sociology) and the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction take place at 4 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 1,546 bachelor’s degrees, 195 master’s degrees and 56 doctorates this term. Including the spring 2017 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 72,206 bachelor’s degrees, 18,241 master’s degrees and 476 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
UWF celebrates inauguration of President Martha Saunders
The University of West Florida formally installed Dr. Martha Saunders as its sixth president during the inauguration ceremony held on April 21 at the UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts.
“The inauguration of a new president is really a celebration of the university she serves,” Saunders said.
Trustees, faculty, staff, students, board members, community leaders and delegates from institutions across the globe attended the celebration, which included a reception at UWF on the Emerald Coast on Tuesday, a distinguished guests reception on Thursday evening and an inauguration procession, ceremony and reception on Friday. Honored guests included Marshall Criser III, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, Madeline Pumariega, chancellor of the Florida College System, the Honorable Ashton Hayward, mayor of the City of Pensacola, Connie Crosby, representative of first UWF president Harold Crosby, past president Dr. John Cavanaugh, and Drs. Morris Marx and Judy Bense, presidents emeriti.
“This is an extraordinary day for the University of West Florida and I am thrilled to install Dr. Saunders as the sixth president of this remarkable institution,” said Mort O’Sullivan, chair of the UWF Board of Trustees. “She is the leader we need to take the University to the next level and help us grow our impact on our community, region, state and beyond.”
Saunders was selected as the sixth UWF president in September 2016, following a unanimous resolution passed by the Board of Trustees and confirmation by the Board of Governors in November. She assumed the role on Jan. 1, as the University launched its 50th Anniversary milestone celebration.
Saunders’ career in higher education began in 1984 at UWF, where she served as an instructor in the communication arts department. She quickly rose through the ranks, taking on roles including public relations program coordinator, director of the University Honors Program and dean for the College of Arts and Sciences.
Saunders also served as vice president for academic affairs at Columbus State University and as the first female chancellor for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She then led the University of Southern Mississippi as its first female president, before returning to UWF in 2013 as provost. In 2014, Saunders was appointed executive vice president at UWF, assuming the role as chief operating officer, in addition to chief academic officer and vice president for the Division of Academic Affairs.
Growth in enrollment, fundraising and campus structures were hallmarks of her previous leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Southern Mississippi. Saunders envisions similar growth in those areas at UWF by increasing its physical presence in downtown Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, investing in programs such as global online, cybersecurity and supply chain logistics and visiting local high schools to recruit talented students.
“I foresee a future when people arriving in this area will know they are in a university town because they can see it, hear it, feel it, experience it,” Saunders said. “ Our students will come to us fully confident in their choice because we will take them where they want to be.”
Saunders received a doctorate in communication theory and research from Florida State University. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in French from the University of Southern Mississippi.
To learn more about Saunders, visit uwf.edu/president and for inauguration information, visit uwf.edu/inauguration.
Florida Lottery sets new March record for contributions to education
Second Highest Month in History
The Florida Lottery today announces a new March record of $156 million in contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF); bringing the Lottery’s total contributions to education for fiscal year 2016-17 to $1.2 billion with three months remaining in the current fiscal year. This marks the 15th consecutive year that the Lottery has generated more than $1 billion for Florida’s students and schools.
“The Lottery’s sole mission is to generate funds for students and schools in Florida, but we could not reach these remarkable contributions without the support of our dedicated players and loyal retailers,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie. “Every time someone purchases a Florida Lottery product, from the panhandle to the keys, they’re contributing to education in Florida and that truly is a win for everyone.”
This transfer marks the largest contribution to the EETF this fiscal year, and the second largest single-month contribution to the EETF in Lottery history behind January 2016 when transfers reached $238 million during the world-record $1.58 billion POWERBALL jackpot.
Over the past 29 years, the Florida Lottery has established itself as a dependable funding source for public education, while remaining one of the most efficient lotteries in the nation. Additionally, the Lottery has contributed more than $5 billion to the Bright Futures Scholarship Program to send over 750,000 students to college.
Florida Lottery contributions represent approximately six percent of the state’s total education budget. Lottery funds are appropriated by the Florida Legislature and are administered by the Florida Department of Education.
